A communication network is a large distributed system for receiving information (signal) and transmitting the information to a destination. Over the past few decades the demand for communication access has dramatically increased. Although conventional wire and fiber landlines, cellular networks, and geostationary satellite systems have continuously been increasing to accommodate the growth in demand, the existing communication infrastructure is still not large enough to accommodate the increase in demand. Airborne communication networks provisioned for wireless communication services can aid coverage and capacity of the communication network.
An airborne communication network sometimes includes satellites and/or airborne base stations, such as high altitude platform stations (HAPSs). A high altitude platform (HAP) is generally considered a station on an object (e.g., a high-altitude balloon or an aircraft system) at an altitude of 17 to 50 kilometers and at a specified, nominal, fixed point relative to Earth. The station typically has equipment for carrying on communications via radio waves. Generally, the equipment includes a receiver and/or a transmitter, an antenna, and control circuitry. In operation, the HAPS may fly in a particular pattern or along a particular path for a duration of time.